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STATE | ASPS to Montana: Maintain Direct Supervision of Nurses

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

ASPS activated a response to a troubling proposal by the Montana Board of Nursing that would allow licensed practical nurses and registered nurses to perform cosmetic laser procedures or injections without the supervision of a physician or advance practice nurse. ASPS mobilized key stakeholders with interest in the policy area, including the Montana Medical Association, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology to ensure that the concerns of the medical community were voiced before the Board of Nursing.

ASPS submitted comments to the Montana Board of Nursing and requested that it maintain existing regulations, advocating for a physician-led, team-based approach to care to ensure patient safety. Within the letter, the Society highlighted the vast educational difference between physicians, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses, as well as the potential for serious injury to the patient when procedures are performed by unqualified practitioners.